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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28050954">Mycroft Christmas and the Reindeer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit'>Small_Hobbit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Christmas, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:55:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28050954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I did warn you, having that many female reindeer in the stables was asking for trouble."  Which is why the reindeer Mycroft Christmas is forced to take may not be the best.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>What If? AU Challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Mycroft Christmas and the Reindeer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for DW's WhatIf AU Holiday Mythology challenge.</p>
<p>Clearly, this year has finally got to me ;)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mycroft Christmas looked dubiously at the reindeer which were hitched up to his sleigh.  “Are you sure this is going to work?” he asked.</p>
<p>Chief Elf Lestrade said, “To be honest, I have no idea.  But I did warn you, having that many female reindeer in the stables was asking for trouble.  Although look on the bright side, the herd is now guaranteed for many years to come.  But, in the meantime you’ll just have to manage with what’s available.”</p>
<p>Mycroft Christmas walked round patting the creatures.  “So, three of the Holmes strain.  Rathbone and Brett, that’s a good start.  And this one, I can never remember his name.”</p>
<p>Chief Elf Lestrade replied.  “It’s got six syllables.  No-one can get it right, so we just call it Sherlock.  It does tend to have a mind of its own.”</p>
<p>“Hmm.  And three of the Watson strain.  Bruce, Burke, and Hardwicke.  I thought Sherlock had a Watson partner.”</p>
<p>“He does, but it’s gone lame.  That’s why I’ve had to use both Burke and Hardwicke.”</p>
<p>Mycroft Christmas nodded.  “And what about the last two?  They look rather shabby.”</p>
<p>“We only collected them a few days ago.  Picked them up from the place some of the elves call the Valley of Fear.  They’re a bit manky but they’ll do.  Their names are Moriarty and Moran.”</p>
<p>“I’d better get off, if I’m going to get all round the world in time.”</p>
<p>“I’m sending Elf Hopkins with you, just in case you need any help.”</p>
<p>The young elf scrambled up beside Mycroft Christmas.  He looked a mixture of apprehensive and excited.  With a flick of his whip, the reindeer set off.  Chief Elf Lestrade held his breath as he watched them go, letting out a deep sigh when they finally got airborne.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>They arrived back just over twenty-four hours later.  Various elves came running out to take care of the reindeer and push the sleigh back into its barn.  Elf Hopkins practically fell off the sleigh and lay in the snow without moving, until Chief Elf Lestrade hauled him to his feet.</p>
<p>“Never again,” Elf Hopkins said.  “Never again.”</p>
<p>“That bad?” Chief Elf Lestrade said to Mycroft Christmas.</p>
<p>“Worse,” Mycroft Christmas replied.</p>
<p>“But, did you…”</p>
<p>“All presents were correctly delivered.”  Mycroft Christmas raised his voice.  “Although I may be tempted to break the habit of a lifetime and have reindeer stew in the near future.”</p>
<p>“Come inside and have some hot chocolate and then I’ll pour you a glass of whisky.”</p>
<p>“Forget the hot chocolate.  I’ll start with the whisky.  The bottle.”</p>
<p>They went indoors, where Mycroft Christmas shed his outer layers.  More elves hurried over to collect them, so they could be cleaned and mended for next year.</p>
<p>Mycroft Christmas sank into his armchair and accepted the whisky bottle.</p>
<p>Chief Elf Lestrade waited until Mycroft Christmas had drunk the first glass and poured a second before saying, “I was surprised to see you returned with Bruce and Moran as your lead pair.  Bruce always seems such a plodder.”</p>
<p>“That may be the case, but you give him a job and he doesn’t stop until it’s finished, and don’t forget he’s never going to be able to run as fast as the others due to the early injuries he had to his legs.  Moran similarly isn’t too bright, but you point him in the right direction, and he’ll keep going.”</p>
<p>“And you had to put blinkers on Sherlock, as well as an additional halter.”</p>
<p>“That reindeer is far too opinionated, both as to which gifts go to which children and which route to take.  And you know how highly strung the Holmes breed are as a whole.  Once he got going with his ideas, Rathbone and Brett started pulling in their own directions as well.  I had to put a stop to that.  And then, when we paused for a breather in Switzerland, near Meiringen, Sherlock and Moriarty went for each other.  Elf Hopkins had to pull them apart.”</p>
<p>“Not one of your better years then,” Chief Elf Lestrade said sympathetically.</p>
<p>“No, but we’ve had problems before and I’m sure this won’t be the final one.  And I’m not ready to take my last bow yet.”  Mycroft Christmas poured Chief Elf Lestrade a glass of whisky and pushed it over to him, before raising his own glass in a toast.  “I give you next year!”</p>
<p>“To next year!” Chief Elf Lestrade echoed.</p>
<p> </p>
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